Carnival Corporation may be ordering TWO new cruise ships for 2017

So far the world’s biggest cruise company, owner of Cunard and P&O, has no new tonnage planned beyond Carnival Vista, scheduled for launch in December 2016

Sail: Top deck of the recently launched Regal Princess

There is growing speculation that Carnival Corporation is about to place an order for one, or possibly two, new cruise ships to be delivered in 2017.

So far the world’s biggest cruise company, owner of Cunard and P&O, has no new tonnage planned beyond Carnival Vista, scheduled for launch in December 2016.

Rival Royal Caribbean is committed to three Quantum-class ships and two more Oasis-class by 2017. MSC have four ships on order and Norwegian will have Escape in service by the end of next year, and Bliss a year or so later.

Carnival, which launched Regal Princess last month, has Costa Diadema coming up this October and P&O’s Britannia next March.

It is also building new vessels for Holland America, Seabourn, and German-based brand AIDA.

Wall Street analyst Robin Farley at UBS Investment Research is predicting the new Carnival order, which would have to be placed by August.

She has not yet speculated which brand would be assigned the new tonnage.

The slowdown in growth of the UK market suggests neither Cunard or P&O is likely to be the beneficiaries.

Australia is growing fastest but traditionally, ships are transferred Down Under only after they have seen service in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

China is another rapidly-growing market and Royal Caribbean will be basing Quantum of the Seas there after an initial short season from New York.